Sporting KC retains Vermes with 5-year extension

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The only coach Sporting Kansas City has ever known looks like he will remain just that for at least another half-decade.

The current Western Conference leader announced Monday that head coach and sporting director Peter Vermes signed a five-year contract extension, keeping the longest-tenured MLS coach with the club through 2023.

The deal comes at a pivotal time, as Vermes’ name is among the most prominent mentioned as a candidate to fill the U.S. Men’s National Team’s coaching vacancy. That move, according to the Kansas City Star, would require Vermes to relinquish his control over SKC’s technical side.

“I don’t want to deal in speculation,” Vermes, 51, told reporters when asked about the USMNT job. “But what I would say is that after 12 1/2 years here, in some regards I’ve put my life’s work into this place. The reason why the ownership has made a commitment and why I’ve made a commitment to them is that while we have had a lot of success over the years, we still have a lot we want to get done. We’re all committed to that, and that includes myself.

“This is where my heart is.”

Vermes spent the final three seasons of his playing career (2000-02) in Kansas City, when the club was the Wizards. The club hired him as technical director in 2006 and named him head coach in August 2009.

In his tenure, Kansas City has won the 2013 MLS Cup and three U.S. Open championships — 2012, ‘15 and ‘17. His 121 MLS wins and 150 wins across all competitions are club records.

Sporting KC is 6-2-2, good for 20 points and a four-point lead on second-place Los Angeles FC in the West.